A new package designed to boost London housebuilding has been put in place in the face of many delays and stalled starts-on-site
Thousands of London homes are expected to be built due to the emergency housebuilding measures.
The package was announced by housing secretary, Steve Reed, and mayor of London, Sadiq Khan.
The package will bring affordable homes to the city
The measures are designed to remove blockers and bureaucracy as well as viability constraints, as the number of homes being built in the capital falling well short of targets, with just 4,522 social and affordable homes being started in 2024/25.
In the new measures, a fast-track planning route has been unveiled for London sites with 20% or higher in affordable housing, and a temporary relief from the Community Infrastructure Levy has also been put in place, reducing the costs developers have to pay for eligible schemes.
The Greater London Authority guidance has also been removed, due to holding back delivery of homes on land earmarked for development.
London needs much more to hit targets
In order to reach the prime minister’s target of 1.5m new homes, London needs to be targeting 88,000 new homes per year.
The original announcement of these measures came in October 2025, with public consultation following in November. Now, they are being implemented, with hopes of it making a difference.
More information on the measures can be found here.
Housing secretary, Steve Reed, said: “The scale of the housing crisis in London demands action – so that’s what we’re doing.
“This decisive action will turn plans on paper into thousands of new homes in our capital, with a clear message to developers to get on and build.
“We’re kickstarting London housebuilding so more Londoners can rent or own a home that is genuinely affordable.”
The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Building more social and affordable homes is a top priority and I’m taking the tough decisions to get these much-needed homes built, including working closely with government to finalise this temporary emergency package which will unlock stalled sites across London.
“We’ve listened closely to the views of housebuilders, housing associations, councils and Londoners and the bold new measures respond to many of their concerns, ensuring we prioritise getting as many affordable homes built as possible and address the unique challenges London is facing.
“I make no apology for wanting to see more action to deliver new homes and will continue to work with government to accelerate housebuilding, tackling the building safety regulator backlog and supporting new schemes as we build a fairer and better capital for all.”
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